EEL, LAMPREY AND LAMPERtf. 67 



CHAPTER XL 



EEL, LAMPREY AND LAMPERN. 



ELS are found in rivers, canals, docks, <fec., their usual 

 haunts being weeds, under roots, in holes under the 

 bank, in sunken boats, about flood-gates and weirs. In 

 ~, the Thames and indeed in most large rivers, they are 

 taken principally with night-lines and in Eel Baskets or pot- 

 tles ; also in small rivers and ponds by means of an Eel-spear, 

 which is struck into the mud, the Eels being caught between 

 the prongs, which are covered with small barbs so as to retain 

 them. Bobbing for Eels is sometimes practised ; it is done 

 in this manner : having ready a quantity of tough well 

 scoured lobworms, fasten a needle to a couple of yards of 

 strong red worsted ; pass the needle through each worm from 

 the head to the tail until the worsted is full. Coil them 

 round the hand and tie them tightly in one place with some 

 strong string so that none of the links hang loose. The rod 

 should be a small pole about eight or ten feet long, tapering 

 from about an inch or more in diameter to half-an-inch at the 

 small end, to which should be fixed a strong ring bent down to 

 a right angle with the rod. Four or five yards of whip-cord 

 will do for the line, but a piece of strong trolling line is best. 

 The bobbing-lead is a hollow cone about three inches high, 

 with a hole through the apex of the cone, through which the 

 line is passed, and tied securely to the bunch of worms, upon 

 which the lead then falls, fitting on the top like a cap. Let- 

 ting out just sufficient line to allow the lead to touch the 

 bottom when the top of the pole touches the water, fasten 

 the remainder round the butt of the pole ; keep raising 

 them two or three inches from the ground, and lowering them 

 till you feel a bite ; then draw the bait steadily up, without 

 jerking, but sufficiently quick to swing the lead into the boat, 



